Elections
Undocumented Immigrants can volunteer for federal campaigns
Fact!
According to the Federal Election Commission, immigrants can volunteer for federal campaigns without compensation, assisting in developing intellectual properties, event participation, and fundraising, but cannot participate in decision-making processes.
Trump saved Obamacare
Myth!
During Trump’s term in office, he made several attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Although those affairs were unsuccessful, Republicans in Congress de repeal its individual mandate, which required people to have health insurance or face fines.
Immigrants commit fewer crimes in the US than the US-born population.
Fact!
“National studies have examined incarceration rates and prosecutions of immigrants in the country, overwhelmingly finding that immigrants of all legal statuses commit crimes at lower rates than those who were born in the United States.”
Immigrants are allowed to get a driver’s license in the state of NY
Fact!
Immigrants can get a standard license that cannot be used for federal purposes.
In the state of NY, undocumented students can receive state aid to cover tuition
Fact!
The Senator Jose Peralta NYS DREAM Act gives undocumented and other students access to New York State administered grants and scholarships (ie: Excelsior Scholarship, Tuition Assistance Program) that were not previously available to them, which help support their higher education costs
BMCC has an Immigrant Resource Center
Fact!
It is located inside The Center for Belonging and Inclusion room. (S-340)
Undocumented Immigrants can contribute money to candidates or parties
Myth!
Foreign nationals are prohibited from donating to candidates or parties and spending money to directly support or oppose a candidate's election, according to the Federal Election Commission
Trump is the US President who deported the most people from the country during a single term
Myth!
Under Trump, from 2017 to 2020, the Department of Homeland Security recorded 2 million deportations. During Obama’s first term, 2009 to 2012, there were 3.2 million deportations which considers removals (When people are sent out of the U.S. via an official court order, often penalized for the illegal entry), returns (When people are returned to their home countries without legal penalties and without being placed in formal removal proceedings. This happens at the border), and Title 42 expulsions (These happened from March 2020 to May 2023 under a public health policy. Some people arriving at the border were not let into the United States and were expelled without legal penalties).
Immigrants are responsible for the US housing and homelessness crisis.
Myth!
The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that it would cost $20 billion/year to eliminate homelessness in the US. The US spent about $22.76 billion on Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza between Oct 7 2023, and Sep 30, 2024.
If you are apprehended by ICE you have the right to speak to a lawyer
Fact!
If you ever run into trouble with ICE, you can simply say “I need to speak to a lawyer.”
Undocumented students can receive funding from Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Myth!
Undocumented students, including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, do not meet eligibility requirements for federal student aid.
Staff are allowed to let ICE into the building/classroom
Myth!
"It is highly unlikely that faculty or staff will need to make this decision without the support of Public Safety or our Interim AVP for Legal Affairs, as the college has a process in place to ensure that faculty are not the first point of contact."
Project 2025 was written by Donald Trump
Myth!
Project 2025 is led and founded by the Heritage Foundation a conservative public policy think tank founded in 1973. Project 2025 has been around for longer than Donald Trump has ever stepped into office
The jobs created under Biden administration have been ‘bounce-back’ jobs
Myth!
The U.S regained all the jobs lost during the COVID-19 pandemic in June 2022. Since then, more than 6 million jobs have been created.
The US is experiencing record-high immigration.
Myth!
The foreign-born population in 2023 was around 14.3%, and in 1890 it was around 14.8%
As an undocumented immigrant, you do not have the right to apply for a credit card in the United States
Myth!
Undocumented immigrants can apply for a credit card in the U.S., but they might need to jump over some hurdles to do so. These could include obtaining a federal tax ID number or qualifying for a secured credit card.
Undocumented students are allowed to pursue higher education throughout the United States.
Myth!
Unfortunately, certain states prohibit the enrollment of Undocu students. Such as Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. And other states including Missouri, Wisconsin, Indiana, Tennessee, North Carolina and New Hampshire are very restrictive.
There is no legal guidance here at BMCC regarding immigration law services
Myth!
CUNY Citizenship Now! provides free, high-quality, and confidential immigration law services on campus through BMCC’s Advocacy and Resource Center (ARC). The office is located at S-230.
Voting for a Third-Party is a waste of a vote
Myth!
This is a tricky statement. In this election, we saw that a lot of Americans chose to vote third-party for a few reasons- one of them including the Genocide in Palestine. Although third-party is likely to lose an election, third-party candidates have come close to winning before- the last time being in 1927. Voting for a third-party candidate
Trump's tax cuts would create a $5 trillion deficit.
Fact!
A report in May from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that extending the Trump tax cuts for 10 yrs would add $4.6 trillion to the federal deficit.
FEMA is unable to help hurricane victims because it spent its budget on aid for undocumented immigrants.
Myth!
Both FEMA and ICE are under the Department of Homeland Security. FEMA does have a housing program (Shelter Services Program) that provides funding to organizations, including state and local governments, nonprofits, and state-recognized indigenous tribes, to provide humanitarian support to undocumented immigrants after their release from immigrant detainment centers. However, the funding for SSP is not diverted from disaster response budgets, and its 2024 budget is $650 million, while ICE’s budget is $9.6 billion
As an undocumented immigrant, you cannot fly domestically in the United States.
Myth!
Undocumented immigrants can fly within the U.S. but the process can come with potential pitfalls and some danger. In general, domestic travel involves requests for official identification and contact with agents of the federal government. Note: please do some research on the state you are traveling to! Not all laws are the same for each state.
CUNY offers no support for their undocumented students
Myth!
CUNY supports their undocumented students through resources available in (most) schools such as College Readiness Workshops, Immigrant Student Success Offices, Post-Grad Workshops, Professional Development Workshops, Legal and Healthcare help, and Financial and ITIN help. All available on their website.
Undocumented and DACA students cannot apply for most scholarships at BMCC because they aren’t eligible for financial aid
Myth!
Undocumented and DACA students can access some scholarships (like TheDream.US and New York State DREAM Act opportunities) and BMCC staff can help with applications, even if federal aid isn’t available due to immigration status
You can be fined, imprisoned or deported if you falsify any information regarding your status on official voting registration forms
Fact!
Those who make false statements could be fined, imprisoned or deported and even lose the ability to ever become U.S. citizens.
Kamala Harris is working around the clock on a cease-fire between “israel” and Hamas.
Myth!
Harris has continued to stand by “Israel” despite their clear unwillingness to agree to a cease-fire. Both Trump and Harris support the continued arming and funding of “Israel” in its genocidal campaign in Gaza.
Undocumented immigrants contribute a positive impact on the US economy
Fact!
Immigrants contribute to the U.S. economy in many ways. They work at high rates and make up more than a third of the workforce in some industries. Their geographic mobility helps local economies respond to worker shortages, smoothing out bumps that could otherwise weaken the economy. Immigrant workers help support the aging native-born population, increasing the number of workers as compared to retirees and bolstering the Social Security and Medicare trust funds. And children born to immigrant families are upwardly mobile, promising future benefits not only to their families, but to the U.S. economy overall.
As an undocumented immigrant, you do not have any rights when in contact with ICE officers.
Myth!
All people living in the United States, including undocumented immigrants, have certain U.S. Constitutional rights. For example, if ICE is at your home, you have the right to not open the door (Always ask for a warrant signed by a judge with your address on it). You have the right to remain silent. Also, you have the right to speak to a lawyer.
There are over 400,000 undocumented students enrolled in US colleges and universities
Fact!
An analysis of the 2021 American Community Survey finds that more than 408,000 undocumented students are enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities, comprising 1.9% of all college students in the country.
BMCC’s Counseling Center and Immigrant Resource Center will share your immigration status with enforcement authorities if you use their services
Myth!
BMCC protects student information under FERPA; immigration status is confidential and will only be shared if legally required by a court order, not through regular use of services